Healthy Living: Food for Fitness

When you exercise, your body needs optimal foods to make it work efficiently, to burn the most calories and to retain the ability to recover quickly from your workout.

If you workout regularly, you need some form of carbohydrate, our body’s energy source, to maintain enough energy to complete an exercise routine.

But remember, not all carbs are created equal. Doughnut or Ezekiel bread? Well, it’s easy. Grains, fruits and vegetables are all nutrient-rich choices.

Candy and sweets are carbs, too, but in the form of empty calories.

Some foods, like dairy and legumes, combine carbohydrate and protein, which helps restore muscles. The best carbs to choose are ones that contribute plenty of other nutrients such as protein, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants.

Whole grain oats are a great fitness food. They’re especially important before a hard workout.

Steel-cut oats are delicious and easy to digest before or after a workout. Buy the whole grain variety and try to avoid the instant and pre-sweetened varieties. The slow digestion of these whole grain carbs will fuel you through your workout.

Energy shakes made with yogurt and whole fruits are another good choice. Yogurt adds protein and calcium to your drink while fruit adds natural sweetness and vitamin C to soothe sore muscles. Boost the protein level by using Greek yogurt instead of regular. Use fresh fruits and blend your shake or smoothie about an hour before you want to work out. This balances the fast sugars from the fruit with the long-lasting protein of the yogurt.